March Hope

Not the hoped for Alba

The forcast was good for migrants but no one told the birds. The seawatch was more of the same 200+ Brent Geese, 100+ Common Scoter, 11 Mallard, 22 Teal, 2 Red-Breasted Mergansers, 12 Red Throated Divers, 3 Kittiwake, 14 Auks, the 1w Glaucous Gull, a female Wheatear on the beach near the lighthouse, a Perigrine round the power station and 2 Merlins along the beach. On the ARC from the road 5 Red Head Smew, 8 Goldeneye and a Ruddy Duck. Down Denge Marsh road 2 Ravens tucking into a dead lamb and a Stonechat. A walk round the reserve with very high water levels at least 9 different Cetti's Warblers, a flighty Firecrest at Christmas Dell, 4 Marsh Harriers and 30+ Reed Buntings.

Brilliant Sunny afternoon at Dungeness

Started the afternoon at the fishing boats where the Glaucous Gull was still on the beach and a large female Peregrine flew over, on the sea still large numbers of Great-crested Grebes but little else. At the SE end of the Arc pit a Curlew was posing on the shore out on the pit 2 Avocets were bobbing about the  whole length of the pit. From Hansen hide the Penduline Tit had been reported. It eventually appeared in the busses beside the hide and then flew into the Phragmites and was frustratingly elusive until it came out onto the Bullrushes infront of the hide where it showed quite well for 20 or so minutes before disappearing into the Willow Trail. Also from the hide a young drake Smew moulting, 16 Goldeneye, 3 Marsh Harriers, a Green Woodpecker and the 2 Avocets took from the water and flew towards the reserve calling. I was told of a Wheatear on the approach road to the reserve which was easy to find in its spring finery. Back at the Hansen Hide a Red Head Smew was very confiding.    

Moulting to adult drake

A confiding duck

First of the year

Pett Whitefronts

In a short early afternoon stop at Pett Levels i came across 5 Greater Whitefronted Geese with Greylags, also present on the levels were 400+ Wigeon, 100+ Teal, 300+ Curlew, 2 Marsh Harriers and 2 Common Buzzards. The sea was surprisingly choppy and all i could find was 50 + Great-crested Grebes.

More of the same

This mornings hour long sea watch from the shelter of the fishing boats was a little more productive than yesterday with 30+ Red-throated Divers, 13 Brent Geese, 16, Common Scoter, 100+ Auks, a constant stream of Gannets and a few Kittiwakes all moving east also the 1w Glaucous gave a fly by. At the ARC Pit on the mossy turf near to the path to Hansen Hide 20+ Pied Wagtails, 14 Reed Buntings and 3 Rock Pipits at least one of which was (Littoralis). From the hide 4 Smew(1 drake), 12 Goldeneye, 3 + Marsh Harriers and 2 Pintail the first for a while. Many of the dabblers appear to have moved away from this pit presumably due to high water levels. I could not find a single Gadwall. On the Willow trail 4+ Cetti's Warblers and 2 Chiffchaffs.  

Stubby Tail

 At a cold overcast Dungeness this morning a short desperate sea watch produced just a few Gannets and a couple of Red-throated Divers. At least stubby tail was still posing as was Great Black Backed Gull.
At the ARC pit just 5 Smew and 3 Marsh Harriers around with the high light being 2 fly over Ravens. Scotney was very quiet and on Walland the Bewick Swan herd has diminished to 56+ and the Tree Sparrows were still showing well by the feeders. 
   

Bitter Reculver

 By juggling a couple of meetings i managed to be able spend my lunch hour-ish at Reculver. The car park was virtually empty and when i got out of the car i realised why. The NE wind was bitter, it was high tide and spray was coming over the car park wall . Walking along the sea wall there were a dozen Sanderling, 6 Ringed Plover, 2 Grey Plover and 20+ Turnstone roosting on the beach but nothing moving on the sea apart from a lone Brent Goose. On the beach mound by Coldharbour Lagoon i located the 3 Shorelark which did there utmost not to be photographed and when they did allow a shot or 2 they stood facing the wind with there backs to me. The walk back produced a lone Marsh Harrier over the fields. 

Blean Woods

A beautiful morning to wander around Blean Woods produced 5 Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, 4 seen and 1 heard though all kept to the tree tops. Also seen 6 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Green Woodpeckers heard, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Treecreepers, 2 Marsh Tits many Blue,Great and Coal tits, 14 Redwing, 1 Tawny Owl calling, only 2 Siskin and no Redpolls but still a brilliant mornings birding,

The water level of the ARC Pit is very high and still rising as it is over all the reserve,  but still  9 Smew, a Bittern that flew across the pit, 14 Goldeneye, 3+ Marsh Harriers, 3 Little Egrets and the usual dabbling and diving duck but in much smaller numbers present. A flooded Willow Trail held 2 Chiffchaff. The sea was much quieter of late though still lots of Great-crested Grebes close in shore but much fewer Auks and Divers, with small numbers of Gannets and the Glaucous still by the fishing boats.  On Walland still 100+ Bewick Swans 4+ Marsh Harriers, 2 Common Buzzards and the Tree Sparrows round the feeders and nearby bushes. 

Copt Point

84 Med Gulls on the sea and headland at Copt Point lunch time



13 Barnacle Geese moving east with a flock of Brent's



At Cockles Bridge this morning 9 Bewick Swans(3 Juvs), nearby on the ARC Pit still 12+ Smew(2 drakes) 14 Goldeneye and 3 Marsh Harriers, 4 of our American friends and all the usual dabblers. A 90 minute seawatch from the fishing boats was quite productive. Still many G.C.Grebes on the sea and numerous Gannets and Kittiwakes off shore, 78 Brent Geese with one flock being trailed  by 13 Barnacle Geese. Also seen 2 drake Eider, 16 Common Scoter, 48 Wigeon, 1 Pintail, 1 Fulmar, 102 Auk sp. 17 Red-throated Divers, 4 Diver sp, 226 Cormorant off shore including one flock of 89 that flew into the bay. On the beach behind the fishing boats a Kittiwake bathing and the 1W Glaucous Gull in its usual roost. At Scotney 150+ Golden Plover, 24 Dunlin, 18 Ringed Plover, 6 Redshank and 2 Marsh Harriers. On Walland 90+ Bewick Swans still,  6 Tree Sparrows by the feeders  and 3+ Marsh Harriers.